€50m package will not solve ‘urgent issues’ facing entertainment sector, musicians warn

The Event Production Industry Covid-19 Working Group (Epic) said they remain disappointed by the lack of supports for live events SMEs.

Representatives from the music industry have welcomed details of how the Government’s €50m support scheme targeted at live entertainment will be rolled out, but it will not resolve the “urgent issues” facing the sector they warn.

The Musicians Union of Ireland (MUI) said the supports announced by Minister for Arts and Culture Catherine Martin yesterday were “long overdue” but the funding commitment will not resolve the urgent issues faced by artists and other workers in the live performance sector as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The collapse of the live industry affected not only artists but the thousands of people who work alongside them, from road crew and sound engineers to security and haulage companies,” MUI executive member Niamh Parsons said.

“We were in the first group of workers in Ireland to be affected by the pandemic and will be the last to escape.” 

“While this funding will not resolve all the issues within our sector it is positive and very welcome,” she acknowledged.

Siptu organiser, Graham Macken said the group are calling on the Government to honour its commitments in the Programme for Government and the recommendation by the Arts Recovery Task Force to introduce a universal basic income for the Arts industry.

In its report 'A Life Worth Living', published in November 2020, the Arts Recovery Task Force, which included Sipt and MUI representatives, recommended that the Government should pilot “a universal basic income scheme for a three-year period in the arts, culture, audiovisual and live performance and events sectors.” 

“Workers in these sectors require emergency support if they are to survive this crisis, rebuild their creative futures and sustain and unite people following the difficulties posed by the Covid-19 crisis,” Mr Macken said.

The Event Production Industry Covid-19 Working Group (Epic) said they remain disappointed by the lack of supports for live events SMEs.

“[We] await further engagement from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, regarding realistic and ongoing supports for these businesses that are crucial to our industry, but which are outside the remit of this announcement today.” 

However, the group welcomed the announcement that the €25m Live Performance Support Scheme will be brought forward along with a further €25m of new and previously announced supports, to stimulate the live event sector.

This will provide much needed employment for crew, artists, and work for suppliers, they said.

“As with previous schemes, the success will depend on the details of the criteria set, and the speed of the implementation.” “The EPIC WG look forward to continued engagement with Minister Martin and her department, when setting the criteria.”